Ricardo José Menéndez Prieto (7 December 1969, Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan geographer, professor and politician.
In 2009, President Hugo Chávez elected Menéndez as Minister of Popular Power for Science, Technology and Intermediate Industries, subsequently he was appointed the Vice-president of Productive Economics.
On January 19, 2010, he was appointed Chairman of the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities.
On November 26, 2011, the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, created the Ministry of People's Power of Industries by means of a national decree and appointed Ricardo Menéndez as minister a day before.
On June 17, 2014, President Nicolás Maduro appointed him as Minister in charge of the Ministry of Popular Power for Planning.